Spectrics - Arkansas Web Design & Strategic Internet Marketing

Internet Marketing: Google Trademark Suits

Using Google AdWords to bid on trademarked search terms has been a little controversial lately.  But a recent case from American Blind & Wallpaper against Google settled out of court. 

American Blind & Wallpaper agreeed not to go forward with the trial as long as Google upheld its current trademark policy.  The policy itself is pretty easy to understand.

Anyone can bid on trademarked terms.  For example Wal-Mart can bid on the search term 'Target'.  However, AdWords bidders many not used trademarked words/names in the text ad itself. 

It seems pretty simple.   

Web Design: Results from Shop.org Survey

Shop.org just recently released Part 2 of their State of Retailing Online report.  Don't worry about searching for it, the price is obscene.  But some of the results are still interesting, at least that you can get out of the press release. 

Of the 150 online retailing respondents, here are some highlights:

• 88% are prioritizing improving product detail pages. 
• 76% are using A/B testing for offers and promotions.
• 91% are using emailing marketing
• 88% are using pay per click advertising
• 67% are using affiliate marketing
• 56% are using comparison shopping engines
• 51% are using search engine optimization

So what...?

Web Design - New VKI Studios Website

I have a lot of respect for the guys at VKI Studios.  They have done an amazing amount of work of the last year and now they have rolled out the design of their new website. 

It really is an improvement from the last one and it is really a resource for everyone in the Internet Marketing field as well our potential clients. 

Internet Marketing - Two Way & Paid Links

I had a great conversation with an SEO specialist this week.  They confirmed for me what lots of others have talked/blogged/etc.. about.

TWO-WAY LINKS AREN'T WORKING ON GOOGLE. 

Ouch!  There are people that make a great living on link swapping.  If you are one you need to build a new skill set.  If you are paying one, then you need to start paying someone else.

So what do you do?  Politely ask other websites to link to you and offer nothing in return.  Let me know how that works for you.  Or you could try something else...

Internet Marketing - Congratulations to FamilyLifeCultureWatch.com

FamilyLife, a para-church ministry in Little Rock, AR, just publicly launched their first offical blog - FamilyLifeCultureWatch.com. 

I believe that their content will be highly interesting to keep up with and I believe that the pure blogging talent of their team will grow by leaps and bounds over the next several months. 

It is great to see a ministry step out with a full-time blogger to be a part of what is happening in the 21st century on the Internet.  More organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, would be well served to start embracing blogging more quickly than they have. 

Best of luck to Scott, Dave and the whole team at FamilyLife. 

Internet Marketing - Veture Capital Going to Facebook Applications

Are you a Facebook junkie?  Do you have a great idea for a Facebook Application? 

If you answered "yes" to those questions you could be onto something bigger than you originally imagined.

Within the last several months, two Venture Capital firms - Altura Ventures and Bay Partners - have opened funds that exist purely to fund Facebook Applications.  Not only are they funding Facebook App ideas, they are funding them fast.  In some instances developers (with credible business plans) are receiving $25,000 to $250,000 in less than 24 hours.   

For anyone Facebook App Building Developers out there - I would be happy to talk to you about any ideas you may have.  I have no problem signing Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).  And  I do have some experience with the investment community that may be of service to you and your project. 

Feel free to contact my email at wkanaday@spectrics.com.

This is not a sports blog, but...

Earth to SPORTS MEDIA and fans of other conferences!  Can we start taking SEC Football a bit more seriously now? 

Tonight, LSU showed some serious moxie coming back against the defending the NCAA Champion Florida Gators.

LSU is still undefeated and they play real teams.  This time last week voters thought USC was the #1 team in the country (I am sure some voters still do).

If USC was really the best team in the country, would I be able to post a picture like this...

Back to Blogging

I know, I know... I haven't been around on the blog a lot lately. 

But if you saw my schedule you would be more understanding. 

Never fear, things for Spectrics have been very exciting lately and should prove to be more so through the month of October. 

Keep checking back in for announcements - or just subscribe. 

Arkansas Football: Darren McFadden Slipping in Heisman Search Popularity

Arkansas Football: Will the Razorbacks Use Google to Help McFadden Win the Heisman?

Campaigns are tricky business.  There are no second chances.  The votes are tallied once and the loser goes home – period.  (Business feels like that too sometimes.)   

So will the schools that are coordinating Heisman campaigns for their players – Arkansas, USC, West Virginia, Louisville and Hawaii – use the power of the Internet to market and promote their players to the fans, media and Heisman voters?      

Since we are based in Arkansas we will be using this blog to monitor Darren McFadden’s online Heisman campaign. 

We all know that the Arkansas Athletic Department has purchased 5DarrenMcFadden.com and the site is live now.  But the question is; what will they do with it?  Right now that still remains to be seen. 

In our next posts on this topic we will be covering the following items:
1. McFadden’s search momentum – don’t worry Razorback fans, its there
2. Tools that could be useful for creating grassroots momentum for their players. 
3. Track the progress of the Heisman race through the season.